Buddhist monks may soon learn science in monasteries, says His Holiness the Dalai LamaFriday, 18 December 2009, 9:33 a.m.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama/File |
Dharamshala:
Addressing the annual conference of Neurological Society of India in
Lucknow yesterday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said the Buddhist
monasteries across the world may soon start teaching modern science, The Indian Express and Press Trust of India reported.“We
want to introduce the subject as part of the curriculum in our
monasteries,” His Holiness Dalai Lama told a gathering of over 700
neuroscientists, doctors, and researchers from various countries at
Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences.“We
have already started sending select students to study modern science
for a five-year period at a university in Atlanta in the US,” His
Holiness added. Currently, the Dharamshala monastery teaches the
subject of Science of Mind and Reasoning.Emphasising on the
power of meditation and need for more scientific research on it, His
Holiness the Dalai Lama said: “We recently conducted a study with the
help of scientists in America on a group of people and found that after
three weeks of meditation their blood pressure reduced, mind became
calmer and it further improved their clarity, and reduced stress.” “There
are lots of things in our brain that are still to be explored. We need
meditation to bring changes in it,” His Holiness added.His
Holiness said science must find ways and means to bring compassion,
love and conviction — important for a healthy body, mind, family and
community.“Modern education is only digging with brain and not
doing much with the mind. Some efforts should be made to promote moral
ethics,” said His Holiness Dalai Lama.“Of late, there has been
a positive sign in science. Earlier, spirituality was not involved in
science, but now it has began to feel and realise that the state of
mind is very crucial,” His Holiness said adding some scientists have
expressed that destructive emotions were eating immune system. His
Holiness said further scientific research should be made on the level
of consciousness. “We have seen several instances in our monasteries
when a person is clinically dead, but the body remained fresh for
several days. In one such instance, a monk who was declared brain dead
turned out alive after 10 days. More research work is required to
assess such happenings and our concepts should be based on reason and
experimentation,” His Holiness said.Talking about religion and
science going together, His Holiness the Dalai Lama emphasised the
importance of investigation and experimentation. “Even Lord Buddha told
his followers not to merely accept the teachings, rather investigate
and experiment as well,” His Holiness the Dalai Lama said.